Pre Dental Hygiene
IMPORTANT: The required prerequisites for individual schools vary extensively. It is very
important to review the requirements for schools you may choose to attend in the future. You
can find program prerequisite requirements for specific programs at the following web site
http://www.adha.org/careerinfo/dir_education.htm.
Many dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, others a bachelor’s degree. An
associate degree takes two years of course work. A bachelor’s degree requires four years of
study. Completion of an associate degree is usually adequate for the dental hygienist to
practice in public health programs. The curriculum includes courses in basic sciences, dental
sciences, clinical sciences, and liberal arts.
BYU-Idaho does not offer a degree in dental hygiene; however, the prerequisite course work
for entrance into a dental hygiene program may be fulfilled here. Although entrance
requirements vary greatly, prerequisites often include these courses:
General Areas
BYU-I Courses
Biology
Required level varies.
Inorganic Chemistry
Required level varies.
Anatomy and Physiology
Biology 264 AND 265
Microbiology
Biology 221
Psychology
Psychology 111
Sociology
Sociology 111
In addition to these courses, many programs also require organic chemistry, English, English composition,
speech, nutrition, and CPR/first aid training.
Example of Dental Hygiene Program Prerequisite classes:
Idaho State University, Pocatello Idaho
Idaho State University Requirements BYU-I courses
Zoology
Bio 150-150L
Anatomy & Physiology
Bio 264 & 265
Microbiology
Bio 221-222
Inorganic
Chem 101
Organic/Bio
Chem 150 & 153
Principles of Speech
Comm 101
English Comp
Eng 111
Critical Reading and Writing
Eng 311
Intermediate Algebra
Math 110
Statistics
Math 221
Psychology
Psych 111
Sociology
Soc 111
Nutrition
HFED 100
Principles of Allied Health
HCA 110*
Principles of Dental Hygiene
Dent 201**
* Waived for junior students transferring to ISU (58 credits)
** Complete through correspondence study at University of Idaho. This course requires 3
months to complete, it must be completed by December 1 prior to the application.
Scholarships are available; consult ISU website www.isu.edu/department/dentalhy
BYU-Idaho Pre-professional Advising Center • Benson 209 • 496-2483 • www.byui.edu/preprofessional
DENTAL HYGIENE EDUCATION
Degrees in dental hygiene are granted by a wide variety of colleges, universities, and technical schools.
BYU-Idaho does not offer a degree in dental hygiene; however, the prerequisite requirements for entrance
into a dental hygiene program may be fulfilled at BYU-Idaho. The prerequisite course work varies widely
from program to program. Contact the school to which you plan to apply in order to get the specific
prerequisites for that school.
Many dental hygiene programs grant an associate degree, others a bachelor's degree. An associate degree
takes two years of course work. A bachelor's degree requires four years of study. Completion of an
associate degree is usually adequate for the dental hygienist to practice in a private dental office. A
bachelor's degree is usually required to do research, teach or work in public health programs. The
curriculum includes courses in basic sciences, dental sciences, clinical sciences, and liberal arts.
Dental Hygienists
Military Related Occupations:
A: Dental Spec (91E)
N: Dental Tech (DT)
AF: Preventive Dentistry Spec (98131)
CG: Dental Tech (DT-03)
Job Description and Worker Requirements:
Dental hygienists remove soft and hard deposits from teeth, teach patients how to practice good oral
hygiene, and provide other preventive dental care. Hygienists examine patients' teeth and gums, recording
the presence of diseases or abnormalities. They remove calculus, stains, and plaque from teeth; take and
develop dental x rays; and apply cavity-preventive agents such as fluorides and pit and fissure sealants. In
some States, hygienists administer anesthetics; place and carve filling materials, temporary fillings, and
periodontal dressings; remove sutures; perform root-planing as a periodontal therapy; and smooth and
polish metal restorations. Although hygienists may not diagnose diseases, they can prepare clinical and
laboratory diagnostic tests for the dentist to interpret. Hygienists sometimes work chair side with the dentist
during treatment.
Education: An associate degree is sufficient for practice in a private dental office. A bachelor's or master's
degree usually is required for research, teaching, or clinical practice in public or school health programs.
About half of the dental hygiene programs prefer applicants who have completed at least 1 year of college.
Dental hygienists must be licensed by the State in which they practice. To qualify for licensure, a candidate
must graduate from an accredited dental hygiene school and pass both a written and clinical examination.
The American Dental Association Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations administers the
written examination accepted by all States and the District of Columbia. State or regional testing agencies
administer the clinical examination. In addition, most States require an examination on legal aspects of
dental hygiene practice.
Employment: Dental hygienists held about 147,000 jobs in 2000. Because multiple jobholding is common
in this field, the number of jobs exceeds the number of hygienists. More than half of all dental hygienists
worked part time—less than 35 hours a week. Almost all dental hygienists work in private dental offices.
Some work in public health agencies, hospitals, and clinics.
Outlook: Employment of dental hygienists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all
occupations through 2010, in response to increasing demand for dental care and the greater substitution of
the services of hygienists for those previously performed by dentists. Job prospects are expected to remain
very good unless the number of dental hygienist program graduates grows much faster than during the last
decade, and results in a much larger pool of qualified applicants.
Wages: Median hourly earnings of dental hygienists were $24.68 in 2000. The middle 50 percent earned
between $20.46 and $29.72 an hour. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $15.53, and the highest 10
percent earned more than $35.39 an hour.
BYU-Idaho Pre-professional Advising Center • Benson 209 • 496-2483 • www.byui.edu/preprofessional